CHAMPS_Industry_Day_Q&A.pdf

CHAMPS Industry Day Q&A

1) Are these ships candidates for unmanned systems?

Yes, the ships will be expected to part of the distributed maritime operations expeditionary logistics in a contested marine environment.

2) Regarding schedule, what does the Government plan to do in FY2023?

The Government's notional plan is to award DD&C of lead ship in FY23.

3) How many organizations do you anticipate contracting with for Industry Studies?

Multiple organizations, dependent on feedback from today's industry day and the white papers to be received in June. There is potential for multiple awards of Industry Studies.

4) Do you expect that industry studies would be contracted for a particular type of prime contract entity (shipbuilders, design agents)?

The Government expects prime contractors to be the shipyards, but the Government encourages partnership with design agents due to need for an integrated solution.

5) Does the Navy plan to do an operational port analysis to determine length and draft constraints?

At this time there are no additional constraints that have been identified. Respondents should consider all of the missions when developing white papers.

6) Will there be a distinction in requirements between the PREPO and SURGE missions?

Not at this time. Future missions for sealift are planned to have an aviation capability. For example, the Government briefed 4 aviation spots, for clarification, up to 4 aviation spots are acceptable.

7) Will the availability/potential availability of modularized mission packages be emphasized as part of industry studies? Should industry studies include reaching out to the non-ship community like CEC, Army Corps, Homeland Security?

Yes.

8) In the interest of maintaining commercial best practices and reducing cost, can classified content (COMSEC) be installed post-delivery?

Yes, the Government will consider completing classified installs post-delivery if Industry determines it is a significant cost reducer.

9) Will the Government consider building command ships with commercial survivability? Couldn't MARADs NSMV be tailored to support medical services mission? Couldn't T-AVB capability be incorporated into T-ESB? Why isn't crane ship T-ALS included in CHAMP requirements?

All ideas are currently on the table. Please provide solutions and cost drivers in the white paper submissions.

10) Would the program accept a metric built ship instead of imperial?

Yes.

11) Should there be more emphasis on construction cost or operational cost?

The Government would need to know both, overall affordability is critical.

12) The goal of CHAMP is a common hull but it was mentioned that multi-hull designs may be a concept to investigate. How many hull types are too many? Has the Navy bench marked similar concepts on other Navies?

At this time, there is no limitation, industry feedback is vital. The Government's current intention is to have a common hull for all missions.

13) Is there a requirement for Buy American?

The Government will comply with all required regulations.

14) Based on recent ASN(RD&A) guidance, how do you intend to incorporate small business? Who is your POC for SBIRs?

The PMS385 Deputy Program Manager, Clif Mitchell is the Small Business Advocate. Small business goals are not yet established. A small business set aside determination has not been completed at this time.

15) If you want a commercial approach to the project, why not think like commercial industry, they don't build ships for 40-60 years, but for 15-20 years and then modernize for cost efficiencies?

The last Fleet of sealift ships were acquired for 40 years, but reality is being pushed to 60 years.

Should we really be planning for a 40-year service life?

Inputs regarding service life and modernization approach are both welcome via white papers and industry studies. Shipbuilding budgets are constrained, therefore, the service life, maintenance and modernization approach must recognize limits of shipbuilding budgets.

16) Do you envision the launch and recovery of amphibious vehicles via the slewing ramp?

It is a current capability and the Government would expect new ships to maintain that capability.

17) Are you considering POD propulsion?

Design trade space is open.

18) Which of the mission sets need to be compatible? i.e. MV22 and sealift vs. MV22 and hospital?

The Government expects a single spot MV22 capability on CHAMP.

19) Is that 16 MW of power generated onboard the vessel or from shore power?

On-board.

20) Is there a preference for propulsion plant?

Industry studies are expected to inform the answer to this question.

21) Who will procure, design and field the force packages and mission packages?

Industry studies are expected to inform the answer to this question.

22) "120 accommodations to support aviation detachment" - Is the implication that all ships, even surge sealift, will be designing for embarking aviation for extended periods?

The Government expects that the platform can embark a 52-person Navy aviation detachment regardless of the force package and mission personnel embarked.

23) Suggest consideration of two different size CHAMP platforms - both sizes meet the requirements but are scaled for different missions.

Industry studies are expected to inform the Government with regards to the number of platforms.

24) Are these ships candidates for distributed lethality?

The Government expects that a variety of force packages not included in initial design analysis will be suitable to embark on the platform.

25) We hear a great deal about MSC operating in a contested sea environment. Will these ships be designed and constructed to operate in a contested environment?

Yes, the ships will be expected to part of the distributed maritime operations expeditionary logistics in a contested marine environment.

26) What requirements, above ABS and USGC rules will be expected?

The platform will be expected to meet all modern rules/regulations that apply to MSC ships.

27) Are there any ship survivability requirements?

The platform will be expected to meet all modern rules/regulations that apply to MSC ships.

28) Aside from mission capabilities, can the Navy provide mission operating profiles that includes items such as electrical load profile and propulsion profile as this has significant impact on the propulsion plant? (Screw, single screw, take home device).

Industry studies are expected to inform the Government regarding the nature of the propulsion plant. The space, weight and power - cost (SWAP-C) needs of the force packages are expected to inform a variety of areas of the ship design, including amount of installed power.

29) What does the Navy expect to go into a 40-year service life? Hulls are not the issue, main issues with existing ships is technology obsolescence which cannot be prevented. Build to commercial standards to keep affordability. Plan for mid-life upgrades as technology advances.

The ability to embark modernized force packages in the future is expected to mitigate the risk of mission equipment obsolescence over time. Industry studies are expected to inform the answer to the portion of the questions regarding service life of the permanently constructed features of the ship.

30) Over the course of your design studies what have you identified as the highest design and construction risks?

Distributed system interfaces for mission equipment has been identified as a high risk area.